(1) Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a lever fitting-type connector, by which male and female connectors are fit to each other or separated from each other with small force by rotating a lever.
(2) Description of the Related Art
So far, when male and female connectors, each including multi-way terminals, are to be fit to each other, a lever fitting-type connector, by which fitting operation force is reduced by using a lever, has been used (for example, see Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 2005-122942).
Such a lever fitting-type connector is shown in FIGS. 7 and 8. FIG. 7 is a front view of a conventional lever fitting-type connector and FIG. 8 is a perspective view of a lever of the lever fitting-type connector shown in FIG. 7.
The lever fitting-type connector 101 shown in FIG. 7 includes a male connector 103, female connector 102 and lever 104. The male connector 103 includes a male connector body 130 having multi-way terminals and a male connector housing 131 for covering the male connector body 130. The female connector 102 receives the male connector body 130 and includes a female connector housing 120 having terminals that electrically connect with terminals on the side of the male connector 103. As shown in FIG. 8, the lever 104 is formed in a square frame-shape, including side plates 141, 142 arranged in parallel to each other, each having a fulcrum projection 147 at an end part thereof, a first connecting part 144 for connecting the end parts of the side plates 141, 142, and a second connecting part 143 for connecting the opposite end parts of the side plates 141, 142. Further, the lever 104 includes an operation part 145, which is formed in the proximity of the second connecting part 143 and is a portion on which a load of lever rotation is applied, and a through groove 148, each of which is formed on the side plates 141, 142 and penetrates through the side plates 141, 142.
In the lever fitting-type connector 101, an action point projection 132 formed on a surface, which faces the side plate 141, 142 of the male connector housing 131, is inserted into the through groove 148 of the lever 104, so that the lever 104 is rotatably supported by the male connector 103. Further, in the lever fitting-type connector 101, a fulcrum projection 147 of the lever 104 is passed through a through window (not shown in the figure) formed on the male connector housing 131 and caught by a fulcrum projection receiving part 122 formed on the female connector housing 120. That is, in the lever fitting-type connector 101, a contact between the fulcrum projection receiving part 122 and the fulcrum projection 147 forms a fulcrum, a contact between the action point projection 132 and the through groove 148 forms an action point, and the operation part 145 forms a power point.
In the lever fitting-type connector 101, the male connector body 130 and the female connector housing 120 face each other, the fulcrum projection 147 is caught by the fulcrum projection receiving part 122, and the operation part 145 is pressed in a direction in which the operation part 145 approaches the female connector 102, so that the male connector body 130 is received in the female connector housing 120 and the terminals thereof are electrically connected to each other. That is, the male connector 103 fits with the female connector 102.
When the male connector 103 of the lever fitting-type connector 101 is to be assembled, first, the lever 104 is attached to the male connector housing 131 and then, the terminals with electric wires are inserted into terminal receiving chambers of the male connector body 130 integrally formed with the male connector housing or, alternatively, the male connector body 130, in which the terminals with electric wires are inserted in the terminal receiving chambers, is attached to the male connector housing 131 to which the lever 104 is attached. The insertion of the terminals with electric wires and the attachment of the male connector body 130 to the male connector 103 are carried out in a direction going toward the male connector housing 131 from the side of the male connector housing 131, said side being situated away from the female connector 102.
However, in the lever fitting-type connector 101, when the terminals with electric wires or the male connector body 130 is to be attached to the male connector 103, the lever 104 is an obstacle causing deterioration in workability of the assembly. Further, since the lever fitting-type connector 101 is formed in a frame-shape and the electric wires are passed inside the frame, therefore when the lever 104 is broken after the terminals with electric wires or the male connector body 130 is attached to the male connector 103, it is impossible to replace only the lever 104 from the viewpoint of the structure.
For the purpose of solving the above problem, such an idea might be proposed that the lever 104 is formed in a C-shape by removing the first connecting part 144 of the lever 104. In such a case, it is possible to attach the lever 104 to male connector housing 131 after the terminals with electric wires or the male connector body 130 is attached to the male connector 103. However, by removing the first connecting part 144, a moment generated by rotational motion of the lever 104 is applied on the fulcrum projection 147, resulting in that the side plates 141 and 142 are resiliently deformed in a direction leaving each other, causing a new problem that the lever 104 tends to come off from the male connector housing 131.